Android apps are software applications that run on the Android OS. They can be downloaded on Android tablets, phones, and televisions. They are extremely adept at using the camera, touchscreen and GPS capabilities of the device. A lot of apps installed on an Android phone however, could affect the life of batteries and performance.
Understanding the Android platform and its design principles is essential in the creation of Android apps. It also requires a proper structure for apps, which divides UI- and OS-related codes into components with shared duties. These components can be activated asynchronously by the system using a broadcast mechanism that is triggered by intentions.
Java is the preferred language for Android development, though Kotlin has gained popularity in recent years. Both are supported by Android SDK. A large community of developers is available online to help newcomers to the language understand and troubleshoot problems.
The Android OS itself is divided into several layers, with the app layer comprising the default standard apps that come with the operating system as well as the custom applications that are included with a particular device, like the music player or phone dialer. The Android app layer also comes with customized firmware such as CyanogenMod and OMFGB that can be installed on certain devices to modify their functionality.
Compatibility is a different factor that stops certain apps from functioning. If an application is created specifically for the US but is not compatible with your European device it will not work and be displayed in the Play Store as “incompatible”.